Pompeii
Chapter 30
jaylene

"You driving?" Karin asked, eyes alighting upon the Camaro.

Sakura laughed. "Not a chance. I can't put any mileage on it. Pein is taking it back."

The looks Ino and Karin gave her clearly let her know what they thought about that. Still, mercifully, Ino held up her keys. "I'll drive," she said, guiding Sakura over to her white 1969 Pontiac GTO. "Backseat, Karin."

Karin rolled her eyes but climbed in. Sakura marveled for a moment over the vehicle before tentatively taking a seat, barely trusting herself as she relaxed against the red interior.

"Yeah, I've updated it a bit," Ino said, voice tinted with pride. "It's a bonding activity for dad and me."

"She's spent the last few decades on it," Karin said. "Soon enough she'll move onto a new one. What was it before this? Horses?"

Ino sniffed imperiously and focused on driving.

Sakura could tell this was an old point of contention so she stayed silent, opting to watch the trees out the window, passing by in a silvery blur. The moon hung low and heavy in the sky tonight, providing ample light for the task at hand.

"So where is the Hyuga estate?" Sakura asked, rolling down the window and pressing her hand out against the wind.

"Edge of town," Karin said. "Like most of the big clans it isn't technically within the town borders but they consider it so."

"They're a reclusive bunch," Ino said, hands tightening on the steering wheel. "Most of them are assholes but Hinata and Hanabi are good ones. They're just stuck in the worst family."

Karin hummed. "Ino just hates Neji. He's...well, he's been unkind about Deidara. He isn't the most empathetic individual."

A sharp crack came from the steering wheel and Sakura blinked at Ino's hands. Beneath the light of the moon they seemed scaly and curved, tipped with heavy nails. She blinked and her hands were pale and smooth once more.

"Neji Hyuga is a prick," Ino said and her voice is different, reverberating from within her chest in a way that makes Sakura's ears hurt.

Sakura placed her hand over Ino's, frowning slightly as she felt something moving, shifting, beneath her skin. Ino looked at her and Sakura smiled slightly. "Well, I'm sure it'll piss him off to know we got Hinata and Hanabi away right beneath his nose."

Ino chuckled and everything settled back into place, though the fine hairs at the back of Sakura's neck remained at attention. It was difficult to forget the eerie, somewhat abrasive touch of vengeful magic, even when it wasn't directed her way.

"How exactly are we getting them out?" Sakura asked. "Logistically speaking, I'm guessing there's protection against outsiders."

"We've got a plan," Ino said, pulling over on the side of the road and placing the car in park.

"The perfect plan," Karin said as she climbed out.

"And what plan is that?" Sakura asked, looking around. They were rather deep into the forest and she couldn't see any sign of nearby civilization, let alone an estate.

Ino smirked, pulling her phone out of her pocket. "We call the police."

"What?" Sakura asked. "Are we trying to get caught?"

Ino and Karin laughed in a way rich with history that left Sakura feeling bereft. "The police station is Uchiha territory," Karin said. "Everyone knows that the Uchiha run the police in the same way that the Hyuga run the banks."

"The Uchiha and the Hyuga despise each other. They're descended from the same family line, way back in the day, but now they're basically enemies," Ino said. "Both families pride themselves in their heritage and each claims to be descended from the elder sibling of the family line."

"The Hyuga would never call the police, much less invite them onto their property." Karin's smile is wide and vicious. "So that's exactly what they'regoing to do."

"It's a good plan," Sakura admitted, smiling. "How do you plan on disguising your voice?"

"Leave that to me," Ino said, opening a packet of bright blue powder. She upended it into her mouth, shuddering as she swallowed it down. "Voice modulator," she said, her voice pitching low and smoky. She stuck out her tongue, showing off its blue shade. "Took it from Tayuya's pack. She's quite good at the small spells. She even has an online store for them now."

"Impressive," Sakura said, still startled by the deep, masculine voice coming from Ino. "Do we need to text Hinata and Hanabi?"

"They already know," Karin replied, watching with interest as Ino called the police department, performing her part of a terse, uptight Hyuga flawlessly. "We need to get closer to the estate itself. They'll be out in about fifteen minutes and we need to meet them halfway."

"In the forest," Sakura said. It wasn't a question exactly, more resignation to the fact.

All roads in Pompeii led to the forest.

"Yep," Karin said, oblivious to Sakura's growing sense of unease. Nothing had happened at all in recent months, but Sakura was still wary of the looming trees. There was something sinister in their soft whisperings caught upon the wind. "They've got magic warding the place. Nothing as good as what I can do, obviously, but it's still there. You won't be able to even see the place until we're right on top of it."

"That's some strong magic," Sakura said.

"It's Chinese magic," Karin said. "Trust me when I say Japanese magic is better."

Sakura stared at her, nonplussed.

Ino sighed, throwing an arm around her to propel her forward. "The Uzumaki may get a tad patriotic when it comes to their homeland's magic." She raised her brows. "You know, being kitsune and all."

"And the Hyuga have roots in China?" Sakura asked.

Ino nodded. "As much as we have roots anywhere. We're so long-lived that we probably have a host of different nations running in our veins." She grinned. "It's helpful really. Diversity broadens our magic to further horizons, aiding and abetting our growth as a people."

"So why latch onto a specific country?" Sakura asked, curious now.

"A lot of it has to do with the folklore," Karin replied, throwing her arm over Sakura's shoulder so all three of them marched alongside each other. "Who remembers us? Who keeps our magic alive through the art of story weaving? There are kitsune all around the world but the place we're best remembered and respected is Japan. They honor us with their tales and we honor them in turn by claiming them as our home."

"That's beautiful," Sakura said softly.

Ino's smile is wistful and wanting. "Among mortals it is the only way we're still alive. Our existence as living, breathing flesh is long forgotten, confined within the pages of books called fiction. On the lips of mortals, however, we live once more. Our acts, our history, our names are spoken once more with reverence and fear. Long after the years weather and wither us, we will still be remembered."

Sakura couldn't speak through the heaviness that laid over them. Her throat was tight against the misery and passion so clearly etched in both of their expressions. It was a pain beyond reckoning, sharpened against the whetstone of time.

"Anyway," Ino said, clearing her throat. "That's why some families claim particular nations or regions as their heartland." She broke away from them, moving up ahead. "We need to scout for Hanabi and Hinata."

Sakura opened her mouth to respond, only for her words to die away as a sprawling mansion appeared through the thicket.

"Told you it was abrupt," Karin murmured, eyes on Ino. "Stay here and keep lookout. Ino's flustered and she isn't known for having the best control." She glanced at Sakura and squeezed her shoulder in apology before stepping off after Ino.

Sakura settled into the nook of a tree, able to see the front lawn of the Hyuga estate clearly. Police sirens rent the air as dozens of cars pulled up in front of the house, red and blue lights flashing. A number of Hyuga poured out of the home and Sakura could hear the angry exchange of vitriolic words above the sirens.

Neither Uchiha nor Hyuga was pleased.

A gasp rattled out of Sakura as a few of the Hyuga transformed in a cascade of glittering metal.

Dragons.

They were dragons.

Long dragons. Chinese dragons. Unfortunately, the heady sense of discovery was off put by a constricting force around her waist.

Oh.

Seemed that it wasn't the magnificence of the display that drew her breath away.

Well then.

Ino started when a hand was laid across her shoulder, ready to ruffle her feathers into a threatening display as she turned. "Oh," she said as she met Karin's eyes. The shifting beneath her skin ceased for the moment though Ino knew it was only a matter of time before she boiled over. "It's you."

"It's me," Karin said agreeably, though the tightness of her mouth belied her tone. "What is with you tonight? I mean, you're flighty but you're usually not so aggressive."

"The moult is coming on soon," Ino replied through gritted teeth. "I don't like be out in the open like this."

"Then why'd you agree to come?" Karin hissed. "You could've stayed with Tayuya. She doesn't show it, but I know this is freaking Sakura out. Hell, it's freaking me out!"

Ino felt the push of feathers subside completely as she honed in on one thing. "Sakura?"

Karin was tempted to laugh at Ino's dazed look but she refrained, knowing this was a difficult time of year for her. "Yeah, you idiot. Sakura. We convinced her to go out on a grand adventure with us and we aren't even through with the first activity yet! You need to calm down."

Ino closed her eyes and breathed deeply, turning her thoughts away from her current state of vulnerability and focusing on something much more pleasant. Sakura. Brilliant, deep eyes, the sort Ino felt she could dive into. A smile so radiant it made Ino smile just looking upon it. Secrets traded in ink across a scattering of years, long before there was a face to put to the name. A love so deep that it settled into Ino's hollow bones, filling them with a joy she'd yet to experience.

Ino fought back the urge to crow her triumph to the sky as she came back to herself and looked at Karin once more.

"Thank you," she said, pressing her forehead against Karin's.

Karin's eyes brightened with mischief and Ino realized that this was going to be a long, memorable night.

Ino stepped away from Karin, a buoyancy in her step that wasn't there before. "Sakura-" she called, turning back to where the girl was stationed. "Sak-"

She cut herself off as she stared at the place where Sakura once stood. The trees were bent and twisted in a cage and Ino couldn't see hide or hair of Sakura in their midst. They roiled, flailing angrily around something at the center.

It had to be Sakura.

Without thought, Ino's wings burst forth, pale feathers racing across her skin. They were ragged and worn, but they could manage the task of attacking much better than human arms. "Is this Hashirama?" she demanded, barely recognizing her voice for its guttural quality. "Or that bastard clone?"

"Doesn't feel like their work," Karin replied and from the corner of Ino's eye she could see a few of her tails lashing about in an angry manner. "It feels one and the same with them and this is different. It's older ."

Ino didn't have time to contemplate the implications of that. Right now, her one goal was freeing Sakura.

She beat away the branches in her path, feeling vindictive glee every time one snapped and fell away from the rest. She knew Karin was working at it too and saw the scrape high upon Karin's cheek. Distantly, she recognized that they were making quite a bit of noise and that soon others would hear them between her loud, warbling war cry and the thunderous creaking of the trees.

Trees were not meant to move like this, not this quickly. She recognized their sounds for the agonized cries that they were and a spark within her clicked.

Something at the Spring Celebration had gone terribly awry.

Ino was quickly distracted as she saw a small, battered fist break free of the writhing tree limbs, holding a glinting object.

An ear splitting roar shook Ino as a dragon darted forward, dancing among the trees to their center. It was a large dragon, painted an eerie misty color in the moonlight as it screamed its fury for all the world to hear. The trees, still bunched in a tight ball, went still. All was silent and Ino desperately searched for traces of color or movement within the branches.

Nothing happened.

Ino strode forward, beating her wings against the branches with enough power to chip and warp them with her brute force.

Ino didn't notice she was crying until a soft, exhausted voice called, "Told you nothing good comes after 2AM."

Ino brushed the tears from her face, looking up with heartbreaking hope. Sakura lounged almost listlessly against the dragon's side, cradling her right arm. There was some sort of gold liquid soaking into her shirt. Her eyes, however, were clear and her lips drawn up in victory.

Ino raced forward, glancing momentarily up at the dragon. It bristled slightly before calming, lavender eyes liquid as it turned its head back to Sakura.

Ino folded Sakura into her wings, nuzzling her face against her hair. She could smell the salt on her and it grounded Ino, knowing that Sakura was here before her, alive and in one piece. She was careful with her, recognizing the dark patches of skin as blossoming bruises. She didn't realize she was vocalizing her anger until Sakura placed a hand over hers, smiling wryly. "Trees, even the strangely flexible ones of Pompeii, are still solid."

"What was that?" Ino asked, teeth bared. She wanted to tear something to pieces, bludgeon something until it gave way beneath her. Ino was a tornado of vengeance, feathers, and righteous fury, ready to attack as soon as the enemy presented itself.

"The forest doesn't seem to like me," Sakura replied, eyes casted off to the side, unseeing. "Anyway, I was doing just fine when Hinata joined the fray." Sakura held up the thin switchblade. "Sai gave it to me."

"Is this your blood?" Ino demanded, looking at the gold mess upon her shirt.

"It's the trees', I believe," Sakura said, shaking her head in amazement. "They definitely didn't like the knife. That's when they broke my wrist."

"They what?" Ino demanded and she heard Hinata issue a piercing bark before beginning to shrink.

"They broke my wrist," Sakura said, in a way that suggested a potent combination of shock and adrenaline. Hinata, now in human form once more, wrapped herself around Sakura and burrowed her face against her shoulder. "Some adventure huh?"

"Sakura," Ino began, watching Hinata. Her pupils were still slit and there were patches of pale scales lining her skin. "Have you encountered this before?"

"Oh yeah," Sakura replied. "A couple of times last year. Thought it was over with, that the forest was used to me or whatever but as it turns out the forest is still a jerk."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Hinata asked and her voice was still beastly.

"I did. I guess it wasn't to the right people." Sakura grinned. "We should probably head back to the clinic so I can set my wrist."

Hinata and Ino exchanged glances over Sakura's head as they were swarmed by Uchiha and Hyuga clansmen. In this, they were agreed.

Whoever, whatever , did this to Sakura was going to pay.

But first, they had to find them.

It was time for a hunt.